Safety-stirrup.



PATEN'TED FEB; 24, -190 3. J A WHELAN V SAFETY'STIRRUP; APPLICATIONFILED DB9. 21, 1901.

wihwooao NITED" STATES PATENT OFFICE.

JOSEPH A. WHELAN, OF ROCK SPRINGS, WYOMING.

SAFETY-STIRRU P.

SPECIFICATION forming part Of Letters Patent N0. 721,486, dated February24:, 1903.

Application filed December 21, 1901. Serial No. 86,822. (No model.)

To all whom itmaty concern:

Be it known that I, JOSEPH A. WH LAN, a citizen of the United States,residing at Rock Springs, in the county of Sweetwater and State ofWyoming, have invented new and useful Improvements in Safety-Stirrups,of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates .to a safety-stirrup; and the object of the sameis to provide a simple and effective device of this character havingmeans for detaching the stirrup from a suspending or hanger strap toavert injury or accident to riders in the event of runaways or permiteither footto'be disengaged or a stirrup detached when an animal falls.

The invention consists in the construction and arrangement of theseveral parts, which Will be more fully hereinafter described andclaimed. a.

In the drawings, Figure 1 is a perspective View of a stirrup embodyingthe features of the invention. Fig.2 is a side elevation of the same,showing the detaching means in locked position in full lines and in openposition in dotted lines. Fig. 3 is a horizontal section on the line 33, Fig. 2, looking in the direction of the arrows.

Similar numerals of reference are employed to indicate correspondingparts in the several views.

The numeral 1 designates a stirrup-body, which is of the usual shape andcomprises a foot-pressure. bow 2 and opposite upwardlyextending andinwardly-converging sides 3, the body 1 being constructed of suitablematerial and adapted to be equipped with any of the well-known stirrupattachments, such as pads or buffers and extended foot-rests. The frontedges of the sides 3 are formed with recesses 4, and projectingforwardly from the upper extremities of the sides reduced by the saidextremities are lugs or bosses 5, one lug or boss being formed with eachside and'having a knuckle or eye 6 at its lower terminal and asemicircular seat 7 in the upper end thereof.

In connection with the improved stirrup releasing-arms S are employedand are provided with separated or spaced knuckles or eyes 9 at theupper portions of the inner edges thereof to embrace the knuckles oreyes 6 and to which they are connected by pivot-pins 10 to form a hingeor pivot connection for the said iarmsf The arms 8 are shaped to conformto the contour of the sides 3 and'do not project outwardly beyond theouter surface of said sides, and above the knuckles or eyes 9 the saidarms have recesses 11 in theirinner edges to closely fit over the lugsor bosses 5 and to produce upperlocking-heads 12, having semicircularrecesses 13 therein to cooperate with the similar recesses 7 in theupper ends of the lugs or bosses 5. The arms 8 depend into the recesses4: and are converged toward their lower extremities, so as to permitthem to be freely moved rearwardly to throw the heads 12 forwardly toclear the recesses 7, as indicated in dotted lines in Fig. 2. The arms 8are connected for simultaneous operation by a rod 14 at such .anelevation as not to interfere with the insertion of the foot into orwithdrawal thereof from the stirrup, the connection of the said armscausing both to be operated to release the stirrup from its suspendingdevice when the foot is brought into contact with either one of saidarms and a rearward pressure exerted on the latter. The fulcrumorpivotal connection of the arms 8 in relation to'the sides of thestirrup is at such distance from the heads 12 as to cause the latter tonormally stand in closed or looking position,and the hanger orsuspending strap (not shown) engages or is attached to a suspending-rod15, which is terminally seated in the the recesses 7 and 13 when thestirrup is in operative relation to the saddle, the locking-heads 12holding the said'suspending-rod 15in connection with the stirrup. Whenit is desired to release the stirrup in the event of accident, the riderpresses his foot against either one of the arms and throws thelocking-heads 12 forwardly, as indicated by dotted lines in Fig. 2. Suchforward movement of the locking-heads releases the suspendingrod 15, andthe stirrup will fall away or become detached from the hanger orsuspending strap, and thereby leave the limbsof the rider free, withobvious advantages.

It will be observed that the improved stirrup may be applied toeitherthe right or. left side of a saddle, as the releasing attachmentsor arms are applied to the opposite sides 3 and are similar inconstruction. Also changes in the form, proportions, dimensions, andminor releasing-arms pivotally connected to the upper front portions ofthe sides and depending into the recesses, the said arms being c0uvergedtoward their lower extremities to permit them to be moved backwardlyinto the recesses, and a suspending-rod detachably held by the upperextremities of the arms.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature in presence of two Witnesses.

JOSEPH A. WHELAN. Witnesses:

GEO. AcKMAN, GEORGE M. BOND.

